Almost every night, about 30 minutes after I naively believe everyone is asleep in this house, I hear footsteps wander down the hall, tip-toe down the stairs and slink into the living room.
Oh, hey Will. Shouldn’t you be asleep?
“I feel… weird”.
“I feel like… half my brain wants me to sleep but the other half of my brain doesn’t.”
“Why did someone invent school?”
“What do people use safes for?”
After I answer 1 or 2 or 11 questions, the stalling stutters to an end:
“Um… (long pause) But Mum… (long pause as he searches for another question)…”
“Good night Will. It’s late.”
“Ok fine. But why did someone invent a school just for boys and girls couldn’t go and I wish only girls had to go to school but I don’t understand why they had to shoot that girl just because she wanted to go to school and it’s pretty lucky she survived, don’t you think?”
Note to self: Research this question.
…
He’ll then take the most circuitous route back to his bed possible, usually involving a water stop and some neck-craning back towards the living room to see what he could possibly be missing.
Does every 7 year old do this, or just mine?
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